Improvement in fish-net supporters



UNITED STA-Tus PATENT Orrion BENJAMIN ltllliltlt,` JR., 0F SOUTH ORRINGTON', MAINE.`

IMPROVEMENT IN FISH-NET SUPPORTERS.

`Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 113,5'-f,dated April 11, 1871.

. To all whom itmay concern l Be it known that I, BENJAMIN RYDER, Jr., of South Orringtoln in the countyvoflenob :f'fscot and Stat-e of Maine, have invented a newV and useful Improvement in Tide-Nets; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, refer- A ence being had to the accompanying drawing,

ibrniing a part of this specification.

My invention relates to that class of nets known as tide-nets, and which are chiefly employed, at the present time, under ice and in catching smelt. Y

My object is'to construct the frame and attach the' :net thereto in a new Way, so that it will be automatically-adjusted by the tide and be susceptible of use in a tidal stream at any season ofthe year.

My principle or new way of preparing and operating a tide-net consists 'in attaching the net to a frame susceptible of horizontal vibral tion on a fixed pivot, to which itis loosely atrelation lto the force exerted bv thecurrentf-r has been driven into the bed of the stream;vv The specific gravity of this frame is regulated by irons or otherwise, and brought into such' upon the inner surface of the net that, wle spread in the directioncf its course, it will be* readily submerged thereby; but when vthe -tide is changing its current is at its minimum, and, the tension ofthe net reduced to nothing,

the whole device Will'rise and float. l

When the tide changes-its cou-rse and bearsv strongly against. the net,` the Wlatter irst swings at right angles to its attaching-ropes and the wood-work; then the entire apparatus is. caused to rotate ina semicircle and take its position on the opposite side of. the stake. In this manner the net will be automatically :id-

, jnsted to every change of the tide without ever `allowing the fish, which always follow the current, to escape.

Having thus described all that is necessary tol a full understanding of my invention, what I esteem ,to be new, and desire to protect by Letters P'atent,.is i A net and netfra1ne combined', as described",A

with the triangular frame A, weighted, loosely Y w attached to Iixed pivot, and operating as andfor the purpose specified.

' BENJAMIN nYnEn, Jn.

Witnesses:

ALBERT N. SMITH, HORACE J. Nrcnnnson; 

